Wrench.



B. N. LEHMAN.

' WRENCH.

APPLICATION FILED AI R.25.1914.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

` ATTORNEYS THE. MORRIS FEfERS 1:0,.PHoTo-Ll1nzu wAfnllNn/UN. n 1

BENJAMIN N. LEHMAN, F SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH.

WRENCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed April 25, 1914. Serial N0. 834,328.

MAN, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake, State of Utah, have invented a new and useful Wrench, of which the following is a specification.

My invention consists of improvements in a wrench embodying novel means adapting the jaws of the same to be primarily adjusted on the object to be engaged, and then finally tightened or closed thereon, and novel details of construction, as will be hereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

The invention is satisfactorily illustrated in the accompanying drawing, but the iml portant instrumentalities thereof may be varied, and so it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the specific details shown and described.

Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a wrench embodying my invention. Fig. 2 represents a longitudinal section of a portion thereof. Fig. 3 represents a side elevation of a detached portion thereof. Fig. -L represents a transverse section on line --fc Fig. 1. Fig. 5 represents a transverse section on line g/-y Fig. 1. Fig. 6 represents a longitudinal section of the wrench at a right angle to Fig. 1. Fig. 7 represents a I sheath or cover for the handle portion of the wrench when so desired.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in the figures.

Referring to the drawings :-1 designates the upper or outer jaw which is fixed to the movable shank 2, and 8 designates the lower or inner jaw which is provided with the ears 4 through which passes Vfreely said shank 2, the latter passing also freely through the hollow head 5 which is adjacent to the jaw, 3, said shank being continued below said head to constitute the handle 6 of the wrench.

The jaw 3 has in it the threaded bore 7 2 in which is fitted the engaging screw 8, the latter having connected with it the milled or knurled head 9 forming a thumb o1' finger' piece, which occupies freely the recess 10 in an offset 1l of the head 5, said olfset having in it the bore 12 which receives the stem 13, the latter depending from said head 9 and having its lower Vend curved and seated on the flat base of said bore 12, as a step therefor, serving to reduce friction of said stem on said base. The top of the bore 7 of the jaw 3 is primarily open and afterward closed by the screw plug 24 which is adapted to engage the threaded wall at the top of said bore. When said top of the bore is open, there is admitted into the same, the nut 25 which is screwed on the top of the screw 8, and adapted when the jaws are separated to full extent to abut against the offset or shoulder 26 within said bore as a stop preventing disconnection of the screw 8 from said jaw 3 and vice versa,-

it being noticed that said shoulder is formed by making said bore 7 of different diameters. VVhen the top of said bore is closed by said plug 24, the top of said plug is Hush with the grasping face of the jaw 3, thus preserving such face throughout, without an opening therein and avoiding the entrance of dirt, dust, etc., into the bore. The diameter of the nut 25 is greater than the threaded portion of the bore in the jaw 3 which receives the screw 8, and so the portion of the bore above said threaded portion is made of greater diameter than the latter and open on the top at the grasping face of the jaw 3, so as to introduce said nut into said bore and secure it to the screw. Then the open bore requires to be closed in order to preserve comparatively the intact condition of the grasping face of the jaw, and this is accomplished by the plu 25, which is introduced into the bore an has its outer face flush with said working face.

The side of the handle member 6 has thereon a series of teeth forming the ratchet or rack 17 with which may engage the nose of the dog 18, which is held movably in a recess in the side of the head 5, it being connected with the stem 19 which passes transversely through an offset 20 on the side of said head 5, and has on its outer end the knob or button 21, which is on the side of the offset 20 opposite to said dog, so that by pressing in said button, said dog will be pushed outwardly and so removed from the rack 17, thus releasing the shank 9. and permitting the latter to be moved through said head 5 and ears 4T. 1n order to return the dog to its normal position, interlocking with said rack, there is interposed betweenl the button il and a shoulder 22 inthe bore occupied by the stem 19, the spring 23, the effect of which is evident.

it will be seen that the jaw 1 may be moved from the jaw 3 to an extent required for primary adjustment on a nut, head of a bolt, screw or other object, it then remaining stationary owing to the locking action of the dog 1S on the shank 2. Then the jaw 3 is operated by the screw 8 so that it will close against said object to full extent thus tightly grasping the same when the wrench may be operated Without liability to slip from its position, after which either jaw or both jaws may be operated so as to be removed from the object grasped when the wrench is freed from the latter. id/*hen the dog 18 is pressed outwardly, the shank 2 may be withdrawn entirely with the handle 6 from the head 5 and jaw 3. By displacing the pin 15, the jaw 3 may be disconnected from the head 5, and so the parts of the wrench may be disniembered in a convenient manner, it being evident that said parts may be as conveniently reassembled when the wrench is in condition for service.

` The top of the bore 7 of the jaw 3 is fully closed at the face of said jaw by the screw plug 24 which is adapted to engage the threaded wall at said top, and the end of the screw 8 below said plug has thereon the head 25 which is of a greater diameter than that of said screw and preferably of the form of a nut which is adapted to abut the shoulder or offset 26 on said bore 7 so that said nut may travel vfrom the plug '24 to said offset and thus prevent disconnection of the screw 8 from the jaw 3 and vice versa.

Attention is drawn to the fact that the rack 17, is on one side of the shank 2, and is sunken suiiiciently into said side so that the hand vof the workman will not contact with the same, it being noticed that the portion of the shank below the head 5 comprises the vhandle of the wrench and that a separate handle as such is dispensed with, thus simplifying the construction and reducing the eXpe-nse of the wrench.

ln the periphery of the head 9 are radial openings 27 therethrough either of which is adapted to receive a nail,'pin or other lever for conveniently and powerfully rotating said head, especially when the jaws are used for clamping purposes.

'In wrenches from 12 in length and upward the intervals between the teeth of the ratchet are shorter where adjustment is made for nuts or bolts, and longer at the lowerend for occasional adjustment upon objects to be clamped. The notches between the teeth are uniform throughout, the bottom of them being preferably flattened and the correspending parts of the dog` are made to fit them. The tops of the teeth are slightly flat for increase of strength and for protection of the hand when gripping the handle.

Attention is directed to the fact that the bore lf2 in the offset 11 of the head 5 has its side wall 12X inclose the stem 13, .and so covers and guards said stem especially the circumferential groove or recess 14: from without.

vln Fig. T, l show a handle-covering of wood or other material of heat .non-conduct-- mg nature, the same being hollow or of the form of a. sheath 28, which is slidable over the shank 6, and provided in the presentcase with the screw 29, which passes through the lower band 30 of said sheath and the side of the latter and tightens against said shank 6, the effect of which is evident, the .sheath being of simple and inexpensive construction and easily detachable.

For two or three inches of the amplitude of the wrench it is used as such, but where a clamp is needed and none is at hand, then in the emergency the jaws are separated to the extent required by the size of the article to be clamped. Said article is then placed between the jaws and after the coarse or line adjustments have been made, a nail or any small lever may be applied to the openings or holes of the knurled head of the screwS so as to tighten the grip of the jaws upon the article to be clamped.

Having thus described `my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A shank,y a jaw Xed thereto, a jaw movable on said shank, said movable jaw having a threaded bore therein, a head movable on said shank, means on said head adapted to interlock said head adjustably on said shank, a screw swiveledyon said head and tted in said threaded bore, said bore being of diderent diameters, the place of junction of which `forms a shoulder, a nut on the upper end of said screw, the same occupying the wide diameter ofv said bore and adapted to abut against said shoulder` in the fully separated positions of said jaws,

said bore having its opening at the grasping face of the fixed jawl adapting said nut to' enter said bore and to be fitted on saidscrew and a plug closing said opening flush with said face and servingas a stop for saidl the grasping face of said jaw and provided grasping face thereof as a top stop for said 011 its Wallhbetween itsdems Width a, shouldell; screw. a nut on t e upper en o sai screw Whic is adapted to abut said shoulder as a bottom BENJAMIN N' LEHMAN' 5 stop for said screw in the fully-separated Witnesses:

position of said jaws, and means for closing H. F. VIDDICOMBE, said open end of said bore flush with the CHAS. A. PEET.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

